Composting is a natural decaying process in which organic matter (such as leaves, grass and animal products) are converted by naturally-occurring micro-organisms to humus. Leaves are suitable for composting because they contain large amounts of carbon, and grass because it has a high content of nitrogen. Together, these materials provide a balance of nutrients in the resulting fertilizer that is crucial to the growth of plant life.
Composting simply involves gathering organic matter and soil, which contains the micro-organisms, into a pile. The micro-organisms, i.e., microbes, consume the organic matter and produce heat energy. The resulting warm, seething environment stimulates reproduction of additional microbes until, ultimately, the organic matter/soil pile decays to humus. However, composting in an open atmosphere is time-consuming and inefficient because the microbes perish in inclement weather.
Specifically, the type of microbes involved in composting requires oxygen to live, that is, the microbes are aerobic. When the organic matter becomes sopping wet (e.g., from rain), oxygen cannot penetrate the material. With reduced levels of oxygen, these aerobic organisms suffocate, thus inhibiting decomposition. Accordingly, composting is most efficient when the moisture and air content of the organic matter is controlled to allow the aerobic microbes to flourish.
A conventional composter facilitates decomposition by engulfing the organic matter to contain the energies, i.e., heat, radiated by the microbial families "working" the pile of organic matter. Because these families flourish at high temperatures, the habitats provided by these composters accelerate the natural decaying process.
A conventional composter typically comprises a wire cage or plastic/wooden container, the latter having holes scattered throughout its body. The composter is generally small, e.g., only 25-30 inches in diameter, and can accommodate only small quantities of material, e.g., 12 cubic feet. The organic matter is typically shoveled into a domed pile in the container and left to decay, which may take years despite the specially fabricated habitat.
When a cover is affixed to the container to prevent rodents from accessing the organic matter, a large air space prevails typically above the material as it decomposes, thereby creating an imbalance of air and moisture content in the container. This leads to inefficient composting.
The present invention is directed to increasing the efficiency of composting, and overcoming a number of the drawbacks of the conventional composter.